An interview with TBI survivor and researcher Ian Stobirksi

At Headway, we are proud to help with connecting researchers and people affected by brain injury, recognising the vital role that research plays in helping to improve affected lives.

Here, we speak to traumatic brain injury survivor and researcher Ian Stobirski about life with TBI and his research into community care following brain injury.

Hi Ian! Thanks for talking to us about your research and personal experience of brain injury. Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself?

I am a 10 year survivor of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rather than letting the injury define me, I chose to adapt. That adaptation first led me to pivot from a commercial sales career to becoming a qualified teacher. Later, driven by a deeper desire to understand TBI and improve rehabilitation outcomes, I embarked on a PhD at the University of Kent. My journey weaves lived experience, a passion for education, and rigorous research into a single mission.

You’re a survivor of a traumatic brain injury yourself. Can you tell us a bit about what happened?

One normal Friday, I caught the early train to a meeting in Mayfair. Halfway there, an incredible headache hit. I staggered off the train, determined to go home. I remember nothing after that. Two days later, I woke up at the bottom of my stairs in a pool of blood with a fractured skull and profound confusion. I did not know at the time that my former life had ended – I would lose family, friends and career and would have to reinvent myself to survive.

We know that it can be really hard for people to return to education after brain injury. How did you feel about returning to University after your injury?

Returning to full time study was financially impossible. So I made a choice: self fund a part time PhD while working full time. It was a slow, exhausting grind, but the only path forward. That path became real only because I reached out to an inspirational sociology professor, Chrissie Rogers at the University of Kent. Without her belief in me, this PhD would never have happened.

What are some of the challenges you face while studying with a brain injury and how do you manage these?

The ongoing challenges of TBI show up most in how I communicate. I can be too direct, too quick, too blunt and that means I'm not always interpreted as I intended. It happens at university with supervisors and peers. It happens at home with family and friends. It happens in daily interactions with strangers. The gap between what I mean and how it's heard never fully closes.

If you could share one piece of advice for people who want to return to university after brain injury, what would it be?

Reach out to a university that has a strong publication history on rehabilitation and community reintegration after TBI.

You’re currently working on a PhD into people’s experiences of being in the community after brain injury. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

My TBI research focuses on collecting the personal stories of how people return to their communities after a brain injury. I want to understand not just their journey, but the specific challenges they face. By listening closely to these experiences, my work aims to show where systems and attitudes are failing, so that real change can follow.

Who are you currently looking for to get involved in the study?

I want to recruit people with real, lived experience not professional answers. If you've had a TBI and know the daily struggle of rehab and trying to get back into life, or if you're the one caring for someone with a TBI day in and day out, I want to hear your actual story. No jargon, no theories just what it's really like.

And how can people find out more about the study?

If you’re interested in taking part, please drop me an email at ipes2@kent.ac.uk and leave your contact details. We can then have a chat about what’s involved, answer any questions and talk through any concerns you might have.

You can find more information on Ian's study on our website.